Re: Async package.el

[Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>]

> I haven't used PCL-CVS, but VC-Dir is a good counter-example: while it's
> refreshed asynchronously, we don't really expect the user to do much while
> that happens, other than maybe look at the output. It's just nicer to
> have a responsive Emacs during this operation (which could be long in
> certain cases).

I think the issue is that currently, when the async download ends, we
just completely rebuild the package-list, losing all previous info.
This needs to be fixed.  In PCL-CVS and in VC-Dir, when the async
operation ends, we merge the result with the current buffer's content.
So the user can mark/unmark elements which the async operation is in
process and these things aren't lost afterwards (and neither is the
position of point).

> And when vc-dir buffer is initially displayed, we don't have any "stale"
> data about the repository.

In PCL-CVS we did.

>> acceptable to add such a (mis)feature, but it should very clearly be OFF
>> by default, since we don't want Emacs to "call home" in such a way
>> by default.
> Fair enough. I'm also more partial to the option 1 (only refresh
> once a day), because it's more predictable, but the above would be closer to
> how other systems and applications look for updates (in the background,
> without bothering the user), so it should be something to consider.

I'm perfectly OK with changing the "auto-update" so that it's not done
at every call to list-packages (e.g. once a day is perfectly fine,
indeed.  I'd even agree with "never" and just let the user request an
update manually).  What I object to, is to do it even before list-packages
is invoked.


        Stefan